Judge denies delay in Microsoft trial
WASHINGTON (AP)  Microsoft lawyers failed Monday to persuade a federal judge to delay the company's antitrust case, clearing the way for a March trial.

Business today- Jan. 9, 2002
WASHINGTON  A big drop in demand for military airplanes pushed factory orders down in November. But a wide range of goods - from computers to cars - posted gains, suggesting better days may lie ahead for the battered manufacturing sector.

GM to offer early retirement to 5,000
DETROIT (AP)  General Motors Corp. said Tuesday it plans to offer early-retirement incentives to thousands of white-collar workers in hopes of eliminating about 5,000 jobs.

Americans' borrowing on increase
WASHINGTON (AP)  Americans increased their borrowing in November by the largest amount on record. A big rise in auto loans spurred by zero-interest rate financing offers led the way.

Business today- Jan. 8, 2002
TRENTON, N.J.  Struggling telecommunications equipment maker Lucent Technologies on Monday named as its new president and chief executive one of the founding executives of the company that was spun off from AT&T in 1996.

Stoops to remain at Oklahoma
NORMAN, Okla. (AP)  Bob Stoops decided to stay put at Oklahoma, ending speculation that he would leave to coach Florida.

Western Oklahoma State hands SPC its first loss
LEVELLAND  Vincent McGill and Ronnie LeMelle each scored 12 points Monday night, and Western Oklahoma State upset South Plains College 58-57 at the Texan Dome, knocking the Texans from the unbeaten ranks.

Top 25 men- Jan. 9, 2002
WACO  Maurice Baker, still gimpy from a groin injury, scored consecutive baskets to put No. 6 Oklahoma State ahead to stay as the Cowboys came back to beat Baylor 68-57 Tuesday night.

SPC women win, remain unbeaten
CHULA VISTA, Calif.  The South Plains College women's basketball team matched the school's best all-time start with a 75-51 victory over Southwestern (Calif.) College Tuesday.

The Freedom Fountain
THE FOUNTAIN AT Elmore Park, which is inside Loop 289 at south Quaker Avenue, has been a big success for Lubbock. The fountain is visible from South Loop 289 and is an impressive sight at night.

Idalou's Special Gift
A GIFT SENT FROM Idalou to New York recently is evidence of the generosity of West Texans and of the sense of brotherhood of Americans following a crisis.

Beware Of Viruses
What do the following things have in common: Melissa, Homepage, Reeezak, Goner and I Love You.

The Freedom Fountain
THE FOUNTAIN AT Elmore Park, which is inside Loop 289 at south Quaker Avenue, has been a big success for Lubbock. The fountain is visible from South Loop 289 and is an impressive sight at night.

Tireless Ambassador
MAYOR WINDY SITTON'S decision not to seek re-election will remove a good leader from City Hall. Ms. Sitton has been an excellent representative there for the people of Lubbock.

Treated As An Adult
SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Eric Tafoya of Clovis, N.M., acted in a very adult manner in late 2000. He wore a ski-mask and carried a shotgun while committing a string of robberies.

Idalou's Special Gift
A GIFT SENT FROM Idalou to New York recently is evidence of the generosity of West Texans and of the sense of brotherhood of Americans following a crisis.

Roll Up Your Sleeves
REMEMBER THE DAYS following Sept. 11, when emotions of Americans ran high? We had no blood shortage in Lubbock then  people were lining up to give blood.

As students cheer, President signs historic education bill into law
HAMILTON, Ohio (AP)  President Bush sat at a school desk Tuesday and signed the most far-reaching federal education bill in nearly four decades, a $26 billion plan to broaden academic testing, triple spending for literacy programs and help children escape America's worst public schools.

Bedtime brings Beatles album
NEW YORK  Could it be? Music that parents and their kids can agree on? At the very least, "Bedtime With The Beatles" might put off the battle.

District, not rivalry focus for Coronado
Amid all of the hype and all of the pageantry that surrounds a rivalry game, Lindsay Lloyd hopes the Coronado girls basketball team remembers one important aspect in today's city showdown with Monterey.

Monterey edges Coronado
Of all the good things that can come from winning 18 of its first 23 games, Stephanie Thiel believes the Monterey girls basketball team's strongest suit may be that, even when they're down, the Lady Plainsmen are rarely out.

City girls roundup- Jan. 9, 2002
LEVELLAND  Levelland jumped on Estacado early and often, taking a 44-18 lead at halftime and cruising toward a District 4-4A victory.

City boys roundup- Jan. 9, 2002
The Matadors (19-5 overall, 4-0 district) took control immediately with a 15-4 run to open the game. Levelland closed the gap to six points at halftime but was knocked out with a 16-7 run by EHS in the third quarter.

Safeguard Pets
On Jan. 2, 2002, someone jumped the fence in my backyard. When this person heard the dogs barking and saw that people were home, he exited the yard by removing the lock off the gate and opening it.

Safeguard Pets
On Jan. 2, 2002, someone jumped the fence in my backyard. When this person heard the dogs barking and saw that people were home, he exited the yard by removing the lock off the gate and opening it.

Rename Freeway
I feel that the Marsha Sharp Freeway should be named after Lubbock's No. 1 son  the great, late Mr. Buddy Holly. Don't get me wrong about Coach Sharp! She is a great asset to Lubbock and Texas Tech University. I have the utmost admiration for her and all the achievements that she has accomplished. We just all need to remember how Buddy Holly is the one person who "got Lubbock on the map." What a much-deserved honor for Mr. Lubbock! We should do the right thing here and not let city politics decide!

Welcoming Card
Most people at one time or another have attended a church. Every time you attend a church, you are usually given a welcoming card. On this card, you fill out your name, along with if you are seeking membership.

Where's The Red?
I watched the Alamo Bowl and am convinced the Red Raiders would have won had they not been dressed in black. They are the Red Raiders, not the Black Raiders. I was ashamed of the black. The fans were too. And I'm convinced that the players were too. So where is the red?

Customer Cards
It seems some stores have to issue a card for you to get the best price. I would think that if someone chooses to go to that store, he would be a preferred customer. Why do they have to know where you live and what you eat? I think I can find plenty of stores that only need to know if my money is good.

"Yes" To Escorts
During my service as Lubbock Chief of Police from November 1957 until my retirement in January 1983, after 25 years and four months, we had the same question keep coming up over the years: "Funeral escorts or no funeral escorts?" Thanks to a wise mayor and City Council, the answer was always "Yes" to funeral escorts.

Lost Ring Found
I would like to tell you about a young lady. Her name is Jessica Davis. I lost a diamond ring in December at the store where she works. I called and asked if they had found a diamond ring. This arts and crafts store let their employees look for it, and this young lady found it. I would like to tell her again: Thank you, Jessica Davis.

Survivor Payments
Some of the survivors of the Sept. 11 disaster claim they deserve more monetary gratitude.

Customer Cards
It seems some stores have to issue a card for you to get the best price. I would think that if someone chooses to go to that store, he would be a preferred customer. Why do they have to know where you live and what you eat? I think I can find plenty of stores that only need to know if my money is good.

Razing Memories
When I read in today's A-J (12-3) that Overton North will soon be razed, I suffered the most serious case of mixed emotions I have ever felt.

Rename Freeway
I feel that the Marsha Sharp Freeway should be named after Lubbock's No. 1 son  the great, late Mr. Buddy Holly. Don't get me wrong about Coach Sharp! She is a great asset to Lubbock and Texas Tech University. I have the utmost admiration for her and all the achievements that she has accomplished. We just all need to remember how Buddy Holly is the one person who "got Lubbock on the map." What a much-deserved honor for Mr. Lubbock! We should do the right thing here and not let city politics decide!

Donations To Charity
Re: The letter "Check Out Charities" (A-J, 1-3).
I oversee a local charity here in Lubbock. And we do call the Lubbock area and ask for reusable clothing, household items and small furniture.

True Holiday Spirit
My daughter had surgery Dec. 18 and was in the hospital until Dec. 23. I lost count of all the groups, church groups, kid's clubs and individuals who came to each of the children's rooms to sing and bring gifts. One man asked to pray for her at her bedside and I just cried.

A favor for the body
Maintaining good health is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. We're fortunate today that so much is known about portion sizes, car bo hydrate and fat intake, antioxi dants and the array of essential vita mins and nutrients we all require to stay healthy. Sometimes eating right is as easy as preparing simple and satis fying meals that are rich in good-for-you ingredients.
Try tempting your family with a stir-fry or salad that showcases dried cher ries, peanuts and soy, and you're con tribu ting to their health.

HANDS-ON experience
She feels better after her massage.
Christy Valliere, 31, a technical project manager for Computer Science Corp., comes to the Lubbock Institute for Therapeutic Massage every Friday and climbs up on the table for an hour-long massage.

Recipe Exchange- Jan. 9, 2002
Whether in Rome or at home, eat spaghetti
Just out in the "Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks" series is "Cooking the Italian Way" in a revised and expanded version to include low-fat and vegetarian recipes.

Community briefs- Jan. 8, 2002
Leukemia Society seeks runners, walkers
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training has scheduled a recruitment meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Four Points Sheraton, 505 Ave. Q.

Scones make handy home-baked snack
If you have half an hour or so to spare, consider a brief stint in the kitchen, mixing up a few ingredients you probably have at hand and turning out a batch of toothsome currant scones.

Lubbock Youth Commission seeking members
The Lubbock Youth Commission is recruiting new members for the coming school year. The commission was created by the mayor and council to provide a voice to the young people of Lubbock.

Zoning meeting
The Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to consider the following applications today for zoning changes in Lubbock:

Crash between pickups seriously injures driver
The driver of a gray Chevrolet S-10 pickup was seriously injured Tuesday morning when the vehicle collided with a red Ford F-450 pickup at the intersection of U.S. 84 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, according to police.

Columbine families want grand jury
DENVER  The families of five students slain at Columbine High School asked Tuesday that a federal grand jury investigate their claims of a cover-up by authorities in the 1999 massacre.

Fashion writer's death still mystery
BOSTON  Police refused to disclose Tuesday how a 46-year-old free-lance fashion writer was killed at her Cape Cod home, apparently with her 21/2-year-old daughter by her side.

Hustler publisher rejected by Cuomo
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Andrew Cuomo has decided not to accept financial assistance from Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt in his battle for the Democratic nomination for governor of New York.

Unruly airline passenger arrested
LOS ANGELES  A passenger holding a shoe punched a flight attendant and opened the rear door of a Southwest Airlines jet as it was about to take off for Las Vegas, authorities said.

California redwoods face uncertain future
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP)  Tree experts are anxiously running tests to determine whether redwoods, a key to the state's timber and tourism industries, are susceptible to a disease that has been laying waste to California oaks.

Sarah O'Neal
Services for Sarah Hinkle O'Neal, 86, of Lubbock will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Resthaven's Abbey Chapel with the Rev. Paul Cunningham officiating.

Fritz Christman
POTTSBORO  Services for Fritz Christman, 94, of Andrews will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Georgetown Baptist Church in Pottsboro with Austin Ryan officiating.

Vada Holtzclaw
TULIA  Services for Vada Jones Holtzclaw, 88, of Tulia will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Perkins Patton officiating.

Herman Wilson Jr.
Services for Herman Wilson Jr., 43, of Lubbock will be at 11 a.m. today at New Hope Baptist Church with the Revs. Larry Brooks and B.R. Moton officiating.

Durward Stephenson
Services for Durward Stephenson, 88, of Lubbock will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Asbury United Methodist Church with the Rev. James Carter officiating.

G.L. Wheeler
A memorial Mass for G.L. Wheeler, 52, of Lubbock was held Monday at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church with the Rev. Jim O'Conner officiating.

Carrie McMillan
STANTON  Services for Carrie Marie McMillan, 93, of Stanton will be held at a later date in Stafford, Kan.

Clara Walton
ROCHESTER  Graveside services for Clara L. Walton, 97, of Lubbock and formerly of Rochester will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Rochester Cemetery with the Rev. Jackie Brem officiating.

Petra Elizondo
HEREFORD  Services for Petra Elizondo, 80, of Hereford will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at La Iglesia de San Jose with the Rev. Arturo Meza officiating.

Santos Vidales
Rosary for Santos Vidales, 57, of Lubbock will be at 7 p.m. today at White Memorial Chapel.

Melba Williams
DENVER CITY  Services for Melba Louise Berry Williams, 79, of Denver City will be at 4 p.m. today at First Baptist Church with Gene Benningfield officiating and the Rev. Bob Webb assisting.

Geraldine Hood
Services for Geraldine Kemp Hood, 81, of Lubbock will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Ford Memorial Chapel of First Baptist Church with the Rev. John Ballard officiating.

Ralph Gray
RALLS  Memorial services for James Ralph Gray, 93, of Crosbyton will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Ralls.

Golena High
Services for Golena High, 78, of Lubbock will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Progressive Baptist Church with the Revs. Johnny Bailey officiating and Homer Avery assisting.

Austin Coulter
JAYTON  Graveside services for Austin William Coulter, infant son of Layne and Regina Coulter of Jayton will be at 2 p.m. today in Jayton Cemetery with the Rev. David Fletcher officiating.

Veneta Granger
LITTLEFIELD  Services for Veneta Fannie Granger, 84, of Littlefield will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Joe Stewart officiating.

Gerald Burley
POST  Services for Gerald S. Burley, 62, of Slaton will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Post with the Rev. Raymond Ochoa officiating.

Sarah Dement
SPUR  Services for Sarah Marie Dement, 93, of Spur will be at 2 p.m. today at Highway 70 Church of Christ with Franklin Orr and Eddie Lee officiating.

Ronnie Benitez
Rosary for Ronnie Benitez, 34, of Lubbock will be at 7 p.m. today at W.W. Rix Chapel.

Lino Alvarado
SHALLOWATER  Rosary for Lino Vazquez Alvarado, 75, of Shallowater will be at 7 p.m. today at St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church in Shallowater.

William Chapman
PLAINVIEW  Memorial services for William Dennis Chapman, 46, of Lubbock will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church in Plainview with the Rev. Max Browning officiating.

Herman Wilson Jr.
Memorial services for Herman Wilson Jr., 43, of Lubbock will be at 8 p.m. today at the A.W. Wilson Chapel of Jamison's Funeral Home with the Rev. Larry Brooks officiating.

Robert Cargill
PLAINVIEW  Services for Robert C. Cargill, 66, of Perry, Okla., and formerly of Plainview will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church in Plainview with the Rev. Drew Travis officiating.

Police blotter- Jan. 8, 2002
Blotter information is compiled from reports filed with the Lubbock Police Department. To report information about these or other crimes, call Crime Line at 741-1000.

Seifert fired as coach of Carolina Panthers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  George Seifert's tenure with the Carolina Panthers ended Monday in the same way he spent much of the season  with his players in the dark and most not really caring.

Shanahan to stay in Denver
DENVER (AP)  Mike Shanahan stayed with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, rejecting a move to Florida and leaving the Gators 0-2 in their hunt for a successor to Steve Spurrier.

'Wizard of Oz' elected to baseball Hall
NEW YORK (AP) - Ozzie Smith, regarded as the finest-fielding shortstop ever, was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try by an overwhelming margin Tuesday.

Indianapolis fires Mora
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Jim Mora was fired Tuesday after four seasons as the Indianapolis Colts' coach and two days after he tearfully declared he wanted to stay in the job.

SPORTS/briefly- Jan. 8, 2002
Texas Tech football players Clayton Harmon, Ivory McCann and Mike Smith were named to the all-Big 12 Conference freshman team chosen by The Sporting News and released Monday.

Former Tech player signs with Texans
Former Texas Tech football player Anthony Malbrough was one of three free agents signed Tuesday by the Houston Texans, bringing the NFL expansion team's roster to 13 players.

Ravens return to playoffs
BALTIMORE (AP)  The Baltimore Ravens are back in the playoffs  in spite of a performance hardly befitting their stature as defending Super Bowl champions.

Kings fall to Outlaws
SAN ANGELO  San Angelo goaltender Jean-Ian Filiatrault kept the Lubbock Cotton Kings at bay throughout most of the game Tuesday, leading the Outlaws to a 4-2 win at San Angelo Coliseum.

Astronomers capture image of brown dwarf
WASHINGTON (AP)  Astronomers have captured a direct image of a massive, planet-like object called a brown dwarf in close orbit of a distant star very much like the sun.

Star-formation ideas challenged
WASHINGTON (AP)  A half billion years of utter blackness following the Big Bang, the theoretical start of the universe, was broken by an explosion of stars bursting into life like a fireworks finale across the heavens, a new theory suggests.

Farm offers reward for missing giraffe
BAYVIEW (AP) - The owner of a South Texas exotic animal farm is offering a reward for the return of a missing female giraffe, which has been missing for almost a week.

Yates trial begins long jury selection
HOUSTON - Nine of 60 potential jurors indicated Monday they would be unable to put aside their opinions of Andrea Yates and consider only the evidence in the capital murder case of the Houston mother accused in the drownings of her five children.

Christ the King to re-open high school
Christ the King school will re-open its high school this fall, allowing the Catholic Diocese of Lubbock to provide school education beyond the ninth grade, a diocese spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Response to school fire 'unreal,' principal says
BROWNFIELD  The spirit of this West Texas town, its students and citizens appears to be burning as bright as the fire that caused at least $600,000 in damage to its intermediate school in early December.

U.S. refueling plane crashes in Pakistan
WASHINGTON (AP)  A U.S. military plane crashed Wednesday in Pakistan, the White House says.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the aircraft, a KC-130, went down in Pakistan and the Defense Department was investigating. President Bush was aware of the crash, Fleischer said.

Man killed in morning traffic crash
A 25-year-old man died in traffic accident early Tuesday when the four-door, 1991 Mitsubishi he was driving struck another vehicle, then careened into a traffic signal pole, according to a Lubbock Police Department report.

Texas Rangers owner gives Gonzalez deadline
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)  Free agent outfielder Juan Gonzalez faces a deadline this week to respond to an offer by the Texas Rangers, which he is reportedly favoring over a competing bid by the New York Mets.

One dies, four injured in collision
Travis Glenn Edwards, 25, of Lubbock County died in auto collision early Tuesday when the four-door, 1991 Mitsubishi Galant he was driving struck another vehicle and then careened into a traffic signal pole, according to a Lubbock Police Department report.

Pickups collide, one injured
The driver of a gray Chevrolet S-10 pickup was seriously injured Tuesday morning when he was broadsided by a red Ford F-450 pickup at the intersection of U.S. 84 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

JP Dulin sanction by judicial commission
The State Commission on Judicial Conduct found that Justice of the Peace Jim Dulin abused his authority and did not afford defendants their rights when he jailed them last year.

Contaminated tap water could put pregnant women at risk
WASHINGTON (AP)  Millions of Americans have been drinking tap water contaminated with chemical byproducts from chlorine that are far more than what studies suggest may be safe for pregnant women, two environmental groups say in a new study.

U.S. collars two leaders of al-Qaida
U.S. troops captured two senior al-Qaida fighters and confiscated their computers and cell phones near a huge underground cave complex used by Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, the nation's top general said Tues day.

Terrorist plans list Singapore
SINGAPORE (AP)  Suspected al-Qaida terrorists armed with bombmaking instructions planned to attack the U.S. Embassy and American businesses in Singapore, the island's government said Monday.

Father, son drown with rescuers only yards away
LONDON (AP)  Trapped on a sandbar by a treacherous tide, a man hoisted his son onto his shoulders as water rose to his neck, crying out to rescuers who could hear him but were unable to find him in the thick fog.